Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Jul 8: Thieves entered Punacha Mahishamardini temple in Vittal police station limits on July 7 and decamped with Silver ornaments of the deity worth several lacs and two donations boxes.
The temple is one among fourteen temples in Vittal. It has a history of 800 years. The thieves who have cleverly entered the temple also made unsuccessful attempt to enter the Garbagudi of the temple.
It is suspected that the thieves entered the temple climbing the roof behind Annapurneshwari shrine on the north west of the temple and climbed down with the help of a pole kept for the pandal.
The thieves took away silver items kept securely in the room covered with glass. Those are 3 kg Pushpa Kannadi, 4 kg Rajatha Belgode, 7 kg Gonde flower, Muguli and silver crocodile mouths weighing 2 kg held on either side of the chair.
The thieves broke large size donations box kept in the front of the entrance and donation boxes in front of the Garba Gudi and took away cash from them.
They entered the Gudi and decamped with gold plated silver Kadthale from there. However they left 2 silver trishuls and lance in the dining room. The amount of stolen silver is approximately worth Rs 6.14 lacs weighing 17.5 kg besides cash from donation boxes.
The dog squad and forensic experts arrived from Mangaluru conducted investigation for two hours. The forensic experts have said that the theft is conducted cleverly without leaving any clues.
Bantwal police circle inspector K U Belliappa, Vittal SI Prakash Devadiga and staff arrived for investigation. They checked the pictures in CC Cameras kept in several places.
Special team has been formed to nab the thieves. Temple administration committee secretary D Sridhar Shetty has submitted a complaint to the police.